Heylel - The Zenith Empire

Ascension Isle

On maps of Arth Heylel lies in the south west, with the Rafaelan jungles a near northern neighbour, and the Mikaela across an ocean to the west. The name Heylel comes from the Chosen. Although after a thousand years of Empyrean inroads many locals also use the Chosen term, the official indigenous name for the continent is Zenith, from which the dominant political authority for 1200 years drew it’s name. A generally temperate land, the interior is mountainous and well forested with many strange weather patterns, and several micro climates. Some valleys remain virgin forests, while others are heavily terraced from centuries of agriculture. The criss-crossing mountain ranges have also served to create a patchwork of distinct valley cultures, and served to limit true political unity. With the catastrophic end of the War in Heaven this lack of unity has also brought an end to the Empire and left a patchwork of successor states in its wake.

History

Foundation

Over 1200 years ago a terrible disaster struck the world of Arth. Specifics on that time are difficult to find due to the widespread destruction, but stories passed down through the ages talk of fire raining from the sky, the sun falling into the ocean, the seas boiling away, and the mountains collapsing. Although the Chosen’s Empyrean Codex describes the calamity as lasting seven days and nights, the Empire’s loremasters suggest the period of devastation was much longer, lasting several years, followed by a generation of ice and snow before the sun finally returned. Exact dates are difficult, but the Empire's calendar generally records the Cataclysm as being 25 BF, or Before the Founding

During this long winter, a mixed band of human and fey refugees established a camp on the southern coast of the continent of Heylel, by an area heated by several hot springs. As their camp grew they came into conflict with a wandering tribe of ogres also drawn to the springs. The humans possessed several weapons of the Old Word, powerful devices that could destroy armies, while the Fey had shielded the area around the village with powerful geomantic wards, but the ogres were lead by a great shaman who threatened to summon legions of angry spirits. The two groups were on the verge of a war that threatened to destroy both fragile communities, when they were approached by a trio of Lamia, snake women who had been living unnoticed in the caves below. The Lamia suggested they could find a party to resolve the dispute, and lead the chieftains of the humans, fey and ogres deep below the ground to a cave of fire. From the rivers of magma rose up the legendary fire dragon Azi Shaleh. In angry tones so hot the hair of the chiefs was singed she told them that it was the fire of her breath that had kept them alive through the cold darkness. Their lives, she said, now belonged to her, and she would not have them waste them in pointless warfare. She would protect them, and in return they would obey her. Terrified, the chiefs all knelt and swore to obey her words. Azi Shaleh took their loyalty, and then demanded one of the chiefs remain with her for a night and a day to seal the pact. The young human chieftain, Lan Fen, volunteered, and the others returned to surface, chastened and believing they had left the brave human behind to die.

Instead, Lan Fen returned to the surface after the promised night and day, his skin the red of a bad sunburn, but otherwise unharmed. He refused to speak of what had passed between him and the dragon, beyond to tell the others that Azi Shaleh had directed the tree tribes to set up a joint council and govern in peace until the coming of the one who would rule. Years passed, the passage of time clouded by darkened skies which never showed the sun or stars. Still the village expanded around the springs and geysers, becoming a town, then a city. The skies cleared, and the people spread outward into the recovering land. The tribes had drawn closely together through the dark, cold years, but now there was talk of going their separate ways once again, and old arguments began to resurface, with no word from their patron dragon to moderate them.

Then a young woman entered the city, now named Meridian as the meeting place of the tribes, flanked by a pair of Lamia priestesses. She entered the Hall of Assembly where the chiefs were gathered to discuss the growing disputes, threw back her hood and declared herself. She was Azurdeena, the daughter of the fire dragon Azi Shaleh, and now grand chief Lan Fen. She had come to fulfill the promise made by her mother many years before. The long winter was passing, but as the skies cleared a new threat would be coming she warned. A race of powerful beings who called themselves the Chosen of God, and styled themselves as angels. They would demand the people of Meridian kneel to them, or be destroyed. They had already destroyed many peoples, Azurdeena said, for they were the ones who had caused the Cataclysm. The people of Meridian had two choices. They could obey the Chosen, who had already subjugated nearly all the world, or they could accept her as their princess, and her mother as their divine protector, and fight.

The chiefs deliberated for several days, until finally Azurdeena took them up on a flying carpet to show them the lands the Chosen had already conquered. Places were non-humans worked as slaves, while humans were reduced to a childlike state of obedience, forbidden magic and all but the most rudimentary tools. On seeing this the leaders of the humans, fey and ogres all agreed that the Chosen must be resisted, and joined with the lamia under the rule of Azurdeena and her mother Azi Shaleh. This is recorded as the year of the Founding, and starts the Imperial calendar, with all subsequent years being “After Founding.”

The Chosen appeared soon after, darkening the sky with their silver ships and descending on glowing wings to demand the obeisance of the people of Meridian. When they met defiance, they meted out casual punishment, expecting terrified obedience. Instead the people of Meridian struck back. They unleashed the last of their old weapons, threw their magics, and then when all these efforts seemed to fail, the dragon Azi Shaleh herself came to their aid, rising up amidst fire and smoke to smite Chosen ships from the sky. The angels retreated in disarray, ending the First Revelation War between the Empire and the Chosen.

For thirty years the Empire grew rapidly, drawing in refugees from distant lands, and binding together scattered bands across the continent of Heylel, while the Chosen nursed their wounds, and secured their hold over the rest of the world. Then, in the year 32 AF the Chosen returned, in far greater strength. The people of the Empire met them in defiant battle once again, this time aided by Azi Saleh and her siblings, Jormundar, Alshedra, and Tishar; the dragons of ice, air and earth. Despite the aid of these legendary forces, the Empire was driven back and the city of Meridian lost. Defeat seemed certain, when the dragons summoned the greatest elemental spirits of Arth for one final blow and set the Chosen to flight once again. But the Second Revelation War had cost the Empire dear. Mortally wounded in the final battle, Azi Saleh and her siblings retreated into the Umbra, charging her descendants to keep the Empire free of Chosen domination, as a place where magic could flourish and mortals live in peace. They left behind a blood pact with the greatest spirits of Arth and Umbra, bound to obey the line of Azurdeena, who would now be the ruler and Empress of the Zenith Empire.

The Empire would enjoy another fifty years of peace before the Chosen returned for the last time. In 85 AF silver ships once more slid across the sky. Fearing the worst, Azurdeena stood on the grand balcony of the Imperial Palace of Meridian in an elemental circle formed by five fey master geomancers, and spent her life’s blood to summon up the greatest of spirits, but instead the leader of the Chosen host descended amidst a ray of light, and presented her a proposal. Calling himself the Angel Tabris, he claimed the Chosen wanted no further conflict. They were willing to accept the existence of the Empire, if it were willing to bind itself by a set of treaties. To avoid further suffering, Azurdeena agreed, and the Zenith Empire entered into the Sunset Treaties with the Dominions of the Chosen, buying peace for Heylel, at the price of the rest of the world. And the life of Azurdeena. As the Chosen departed, the strain of controlling the greater spirits drew the last of the Empress’ life, and she collapsed and died, passing rule on to her eldest son.

Expansion

Early Expansion (85 – 169)

Fearing that the Angels had only been temporarily intimidated by the summoning of Atma, the empire entered a state of long term military preparation. During this era, the empire was ruled by the direct descendants of Azurdeena. The primary issue at hand was when the Angels would return and how best to prepare for that day. For the first half of the period, many believed they would return in a generation or two as they had done before and focused on full militarization of the state. Military forces of both professional and conscripted classes were raised to quickly subdue nearby regions and annex them into the empire. Gains in territory led to more geomantic and spiritual power to feed into the capitol city's defensive enchantments as well as more land on which to settle soldiers.

High Expansion (169 – 242)

When the better part of a century had passed without the Angels returning, popular opinion considered the possibility that the enemy was counting on the empire to exhaust itself or would delay their assault until an obvious opportunity arose. The High Expansion period began with the reign of Parsee I who reversed several of the policies that had already been called into question and sustained only after deliberation during her father's reign. Following this, expansion policy rapidly shifted with a view towards expanding the power base of the empire over the long term. The rate of territorial acquisition was accelerated until it reached islands of the near abroad by 201. These became geomantic foci for a series of continent-spanning enchantments that still survive in part to this day. Elsewhere geomantic infrastructure departed from primarily defensive applications and civil projects elevated in ambition and scale. This included works such as the Grand Shrine of Damara, a site dedicated entirely to fertility in order to encourage population growth. A massive expansion to the Atash Behram was commissioned by Parsee II, elevating its status as an institution dedicated to ensuring the empire would have a large pool of militarily useful magical skill going forward. The High Expansion created a sizeable noble class as military officers retired to become land owners and administrators. The continual clearing of land for settlement provided for an extended period of prosperity.

The Latitude Contentions (231 – 242)

By the 220's, most useful lands of continental Zenith were within reach of an imperial commandery. As the population grew in bounds to fill out the provinces, focus turned to settlement of less desireable, marginal territories and the ebb of fresh estates turned into growing pains and reopening of racial divisions. Beginning with the Karsi domain, many provincial governors had started reorganizing land use along ethnic lines. While some minorities, such as Kappa or Vodyanoy actually benefited from more intelligent land distribution, rebellions were ignited when other marginalised races were displaced, often by humans, from prime territories. Sporadic fighting spread disruption and further displacement across the land.

In 231, the ogre Engaku who lived within the human ruled Karsi domain took his tribe's case to the capitol in order to appeal directly to the Emperor. He was thrown out six times, requiring more men to restrain each time before attracting the attention of Grand Princess Amestris who appealed on his behalf, resulting in an official imperial investigation (and later, a scandalous affair). While the plight of the ogre tribe was ultimately reversed the next year, the difficulties encountered by the imperial commissioner immediately revealed an outward shift in the balance of power. With access to rapidly increasing tax revenue and geographic separation from the capitol, the provincial governors gained significant military potential and their relationship with the central imperial government grew more contentious.

A few tense years of passive aggression followed for the rest of the reign as most provincial governors increasingly under-reported taxation and increased their independence from the center as the imperial court, still more wary of the Third Impact than its own military commanders, found itself unable to restrain them through diplomatic or political means. Finally, in 237, some quiet months after the ascension of Amestris, the governors of three domains jointly wrote to the imperial court regarding the difficulty of assuring tax deliveries without fighting more resources to fighting bandits. The new Empress instead offered to rescind their defense responsibilities. This forced the satraps' hands, triggering the First Latitude Contention.

Civil war assured, both sides massed their forces with the satrapies taking the initiative and sending their first wave of forces to take the high ground in the mountains north of Meridian province. After fiercing fighting, the rebels were forced out of the passes before winter. The next year, with two sides, now fully assembled, met in the central plains in a series of major battles. After modest bloodshed and much routing, the rebel forces were victorious, forcing the empress to partially activate the geomantic defenses of the capital which brought the satraps to the bargaining table without further loss of life. The resulting agreement affirmed the satrap's control (at least in theory) over their own successors and their right to have their concerns brought to the attention of the imperial throne no less than twice annually.

In 242, the Second Latitude Contention occurred, this time with a coalition comprising seven major satraps and more minor ones as well as the support of several mages alarmed by the precedent set at the end of the previous conflict. Rebel foot troops again took the initiative and were successful I initial battles. However, the situation changed abruptly when reports arrived of the Angels constructing what is now known as Kromedea's Bastille on the isle of X far to the east of Zenith. Although a number of theories have arisen that the histories were edited under Amestris or her successor with regards to the timing of the appearance of the Bastille, it is true that both sides were brought to the bargaining table quickly. This second Latitude was generally favourable to the satraps. It placed a constitutional limit on the imperial throne's use of the continental scale magical defenses of the empire that would last some seven centuries. It also explicitly recognized the satrapies as integral political units for the first time, forming the foundation of the Federal System.

Late Expansion (242 – 300)

During this period, the empire's demographics stabilized and its cultural and racial borders solidified into something resembling that of the present day. As population centers rose to nearly rival the capital around the continent, the imperial court recognized the balance of power with two further revisions to satrap system, introducing the formal rituals of conflict. The Imperial Assembly is founded in 289 by Haruho. At the dawn of the empire's fourth century, she abdicates in favour of her spouses who set a precedence for the practice of regency that would be popular a century later.

Imperial Dynasties

Here goes some 1100 years of Imperial Dynasties up to the present day. Feel free to add your own rulers or periods of rule in the Discussion page.

The general periods as I envisage them were:

85AF - 200AF: The establishment of the Empire, a period of rampant militarism, paranoia and rapid expansion out to the borders of Heylel, ending in a series of civil wars that were eventually resolved by the establishment of a Federal System

200AF-300AF: The establishment of the Satrap system of governance for the autonomous provinces, the first Imperial Assemblies, and the introduction of the formalized code of conflict for resolving disputes

169-182 Parsee I - Her reign marked the start of the High Expansion period. Reign ended abruptly due to a magical accident.

182-215 Parsee II - Major patron of the Atesh Behram and magical studies in general. Elevated the Atesh Behram in status to the premier magical academy of the empire.

237-249 Amestris - Married an ogre. Somewhat scandalous. Oversaw the empire during the Contentions, attempting to curb satrap power with limited success.

286-300 Haruho - Oversaw the revision of the satrap system to its final version, founded the Imperial Assembly and solidified its functionality in its earliest years. Had four husbands and three wives. At the dawn of the fourth century, she took one of those with her on a journey to find the Great Library and abdicated in favour of the rest. (Result was frequent magical brawls and a bit of a mess.)

300-400AF: Growing conflicts between the increasing power of the Satraps, many feeling excluded from Imperial power. A massive increase in formal disputes, coming to the brink of a massive civil war or secession, before being resolved by particularly wise leadership

-321-402 AF Emperor Kaveh, an Ascendent of the Arete Draconic and a practiced sorcerer, who was known for his loyal guard of Ascendent knights. With their direct aid, he strove to make the roads between the satrapies safe from banditry. His knights became founders of several of the first Imperial Legions, designed to arbitrate and enforce the rules of war and ensure the results were honoured.

400AF-700AF: The golden age of the Empire, where the Imperial line expanded greatly due to the use of the Ruling Regent induction (where worthy individuals are married into the Imperial family, and run the Empire in their children's name), and the Assembly system functioned mostly as designed for resolving disputes between and with Satraps. Ended after the Empire got embroiled in several conflicts in the Zones, leading to near-war with the Chosen, and harsh revisions to the Sunset Treaties, forcing the Empire into near total isolation.

700-900AF: Period of stagnation. Empyrean missionaries brought in with the new Sunset treaties spread the word of the Chosen, leading to discontent and mutterings of rebellion. To dodge the anger the Emperor temporarily cedes power to the first Shogunate, whose generals successfully repress the people, before handing power back to the Emperor several decades later. Many old institutions fade away or are subverted. This era begins a slow but steady decrease in the number of Dragon lines, and the concentration of Imperial power into just one line of the Driakin families. Despite this the Empire carries on much as before, though signs that things are going wrong are everywhere beneath the surface.

-788-833 AF Empress Shima, the "True Dragon" Empress. A fanatical Ascendent, she chided and privately undermined satraps that weren't of the Arete Draconic, going so far as assassination. She had shrines to herself built in every city, and proclaimed herself the True Ascendent, demanding a place at the foot of Azuredeena. Her death lies shrouded in mystery, unclear if Reiwan mono-hunters or irate Ascendents removed her.

900-1000AF: Period of Tyranny. Becoming increasingly inbred, the Imperial family becomes erratic and dangerous, with a rapid succession of dangerous Emperors, interspersed with precious few good ones. Many Satraps are executed as traitors, and terror becomes widespread. Finally the Imperial court takes over, reducing the current child emperor to a figurehead.

-900-940 AF Empress Ixic (The Just/The Bloody) The first Empress of the Tyranny. Empress Ixic was increasingly disgusted with the influence of the court over her elder sister. When her sister was assasinated Ixic seized power and mounted a bloody campaign of purges and expulsions which destroyed several existing power groups in the Capital. She reigned for a relatively short time before being assassinated by a courtier who's family she'd murdered.

1000-1190AF: Period of Decline. This period begins with the attempted establishment of a second military Shogunate to safeguard the Empire, depose the court bureaucrats, and establish firmer control over the Satrapies. The Shogunate fails, and the decline of the Empire accelerates, becoming clear to all. This period of decline is generally comfortable for the Satraps after the previous period of tyranny, and they use it as an opportunity to go their own way, which the court allows so long as they pay lip service. This period ends in Fire with the War in Heaven, and the destruction of Meridian City and Province, bringing the Empire to an end.

Race

Heylel contains a wide mix of human, and humanoid races. When the Empire was first settled there were four major racial groups represented; humans, fey, ogres and lamia. Since the founding many more have been added to the Empire, either joining from elsewhere on the continent, or fleeing there as refugees. This racial mix is not without tension, as several groups remember their persecution by humans elsewhere on Arth, while humans hold a great deal of power in Heylel as well. Some of the Satrapies of the Empire reflect this racial mix with cosmopolitan cities and integrated towns and villages, while others are strongly dominated by one group or another. Under old Imperial edict, no Satrap was allowed to discriminate based on race, but in this new era some of the old grudges and divides have once again come to the fore.

Mages and Morati

More than race, the Empire is divided by those who can practice magic, and those who cannot. While technically any being with a connection to the Umbra can learn magic, in practice learning magic is a difficult (often dangerous), time consuming, and most of all expensive task. The sad fact is that whatever their potential, most of the mortals of the Empire will never have a chance to learn magic. The mages dismissively call these non magical people "morati," or less politely "mugs." Nearly every person of power in the Empire can practice at least a little magic (and to represent this all Empire characters may take Mage(1) for free), and magical power has been assumed to be synonymous with status and wealth and martial (and sexual) prowess for centuries.

Nevertheless, the majority of the people of the Empire remain morati. In previous eras the Imperial throne reinforced an egalitarian view of the peasantry, and indeed one Ruling Regent even originated from the common folk, and eventually became a powerful mage in her own right. Nowadays the social divisions have become much wider, with the magical elite using the technical fact that anyone can learn magic to justify their rule over those who have not, while simultaneously denying those same people the means to learn magic in the first place. Similarly, the conventions of magical service to the citizenry established in the early days of the Empire have largely eroded with the corruption, and then destruction of the Imperial bureaucracy. Mages now serve the will of their leaders or themselves more than the common good.

Crime

Although the Empire was officially at peace for nearly its entire existence, crime was always a concern. The sheer power of a rogue mage made for insidious criminal masterminds, and the separate nature of various provinces often allowed a criminal to escape justice by fleeing to another Satrapy. Imperial Arbiters attempted to keep such criminals in check, but it was a continual cat and mouse game, where a powerful mage had every advantage to escape Imperial justice. In response the Arbiters became particularly harsh in their pursuits by the Age of Tyranny, often ignoring established Imperial laws that previous magical criminals had cleverly exploited. By then it was also not unknown for unscrupulous mages to elaborately frame their rivals as criminals, trusting in the swift and uncompromising justice of the Arbiters to destroy the offender before any protestations of innocence could be made.

Even without the actions of such masterminds, many provinces of the Empire often verged on lawlessness, particularly in remote areas. A common hero in such cases was not the militia, but the wandering ronin. Ronin are Zenith Knights who failed the magical portion of their training. Disgraced and turned out into the world they are nevertheless fearsome warriors, and make their reputation as swords for hire, fighting to defend isolated villages from angry spirits, rampaging monsters, and bandit gangs. What makes stories of the ronin particularly engaging to the peasantry is that some of the most powerful bandit chiefs are also washed-out Zenith Knights. The bards sing many songs and tell many tales about the legendary ronin Lark, and his duels with his classmate and former lover (that last entirely a bardic fabrication, according to Lark) Venya Kitsuri, the so-called Silver Fox of Savandir.

Politics

For most of it’s existence the Zenith Empire was a federated state, with a central imperial authority loosely governing a collection of provinces ruled over by mostly autonomous satraps. Each province was allowed to enact a wide array of local laws so long as they did not conflict with the Empire’s founding “Morning Code,” or any standing Imperial edicts. In the case of a conflict the Emperor would summon the offending Satrap to the Imperial palace to explain his case. Other Satraps were allowed to also attend if they supported the Satrap in question. In the case of a serious dispute or a wider issue, the Emperor would form an Imperial Assembly of all the Satraps as well as his own court advisors to discuss the issue in greater detail, with the Emperor as the final deciding authority.

Although the Imperial City of Meridian was destroyed by the Star Fall at the end of the War in Heaven the palace where the Imperial Family would spend the winters survived. This palace now serves as the emergency Imperial Assembly where the Satraps can meet to air their concerns and seek resolution of disputes. Unfortunately the Assembly risks becoming nothing more than a dueling ground for angry delegates as it faces a growing number of insults and challenges with no actual means to enforce any edicts.

Historically, if a dispute between Satraps could not be resolved by the Assembly, the Empire had an escalating system of challenges, ending at ritualized warfare. These wars were conducted under very tight strictures, and adjudicated by Imperial authorities to prevent the kind of wider civil strife that could weaken the Empire and provide an opening for the Chosen. Although the impartiality of the system was regularly called into question, it survived mostly intact for nine hundred years. It is unlikely to survive for much longer.

Religion

The Empire did not have a single state religion, although at various times of its history various faiths were particularly favoured by the throne. The Arete Draconic was embraced by several Emperors (such as Emperor Kaveh, who kept the Imperial roads safe with an order of Ascendent knights), although a few also appear to have found the faith somewhat disturbing in its deification of the Imperial line, and felt it risked an unseemly personality cult. This is exactly how it was used by several of the most tyrannical Emperors, such as the Empress Shima, who had temples built to herself in every city and removed satraps who were not at least Ascendent canditates. Towards the end of the Empire the Imperial court was careful to pay lip service to the Ascended priests, but kept the Dragon Cults at arms length. The Draconics in turn grew to question the divinity of ever more cloistered and ineffectual Imperial figureheads.

Most Provinces of the Empire follow a mix of faiths, without overwhelming dominance of any one belief. Home grown faiths remain in the majority, but refugees from the Zones brought their own practices into the Empire in significant minorities. The one faith that was most disturbing to the Empire was the one it was unable to use force to quell.

Following the revision of the Sunset Treaties in 707 AF, the Empire was forced to grant access to large numbers of Empyrean missionaries. Analysis of the Heylel version of the Empyrean Codex carried by these missionaries - called the Satanic Codex by its detractors - suggested that it had been specifically formulated to undermine the Empire’s power structures. The Codex glorified the Chosen, and provided several prescriptions for Heylians to lead moral lives. While it maintained it’s anti-magic stance, it focused more on the immorality of magic acts by the leaders of the Empire, rather than the immorality of magic itself. This reworking of the Empyrean message gained some traction among the lower orders of Zenith society, particularly when Empyrean priestesses coupled it with widespread aid to the poorest citizens at their various missions.

Initially several powerful mages opposed these missionaries, but the Zenith discovered that Empyrean missionaries could use awesome magics themselves by channelling the power of their Chosen patrons (there was some suspicion that several of them were Chosen in disguise), while their Inquisitorial bodyguards were highly resistant to normal battlemagic. After several prominent Zenith sorcerers were humiliatingly defeated, the Emperor publically forbade any from interfering with the passage of these missionaries on pain of death.

Ultimately the spread of Empyreanism was checked by a series of brutally harsh measures undertaken by the first Shogunate to punish the peasants and common folk who followed the Chosen’s faith (with crimes carefully formulated to appear that their faith was incidental to the punishment), as well as the sacrifice of the Reiwan shrine maiden Mikohime who challenged and publically defeated the Empyrean saint, grand abbess Tara Merinda, martyring herself to the Emperor’s justice to prove to the people that a follower of the Chosen could be defeated. Despite this, many peasants still follow the Chosen’s faith, and several prominent Heylian Empyreans made a great deal of money off Chosen blessings, and monopolizing the few trade links with the Chosen’s occupation Zones.

Religion is not as divisive to the people of Heylel as it is on Jibril, nevertheless with the end of the War in Heaven many people on Heylel are turning darkened gazes towards those among them who follow outside faiths. With the Emperor and the Chosen now vanished the old protections for minority religions have also vanished. With many Satraps now contemplating foreign ventures, followers of foreign faiths could easily become targets.

Magic

The strength of the Zenith Empire was always its mages. The weakness of its mages was always their strength. It is hard to give a mortal the godlike power to change the world to his whims, and then ask him to be humble. Many of the Empire’s internal conflicts over the years grew out of disagreements between its most powerful mages. Often very personal disagreements. Despite this, the mages of the Empire generally worked together as a unified, if querulous, body - until the Acts of Harmony.

In the early 10th century AF the most powerful sorcerer in the Empire was widely reputed to be the Ogre archmagus Nori no Oni. The ogre had great power, but as an ogre he lacked the esteem of his peers, and was never granted the honours he felt he deserved. After he was passed over for position as head of the Atash Behram, the Zenith Empire’s most prestigious magical school, Nori was approached by the young Empress Ixic to be her court archmage. He accepted, and quickly earned her trust. Nori then used his position to persecute and punish all those he felt had wronged him. With the Empress’ support he created the so-called Acts of Harmony which mandated a unified school of magical thought be adopted across the Empire - in this case Nori’s own White Tower philosophy - with all other schools outlawed as flawed doctrines. Although Ixic’s reign was short-lived and the Acts of Harmony were never fully implemented, Nori would continue as court archmage through three more emperors. By the time of his death in 974 AF he had done much to advance the higher study of magic, but had also created an irreconcilable split between the major magical schools of the Empire.

This divide has only widened over the succeeding years. Where the various schools were once seen as merely slight variations on closely related themes, they have now become bitterly opposed philosophical camps. The three largest schools of thought are the Wellspring Way, the Path of Service, and the White Tower. These paths have become associated with the various circles of magic - stone, iron and gold - a practice that many philosophers claim is both inaccurate and grossly misleading, but nevertheless has worked its way into common usage.

The Wellspring Way argues that magic is a fathomless natural force, neither good nor evil, and never to be fully controlled by mortals. Mages may dip into this torrent and with the proper care and reverence draw forth a portion of its power, always in the knowledge that they serve a force far vaster than themselves. Detractors of the Wellspring Way commonly call in the Path of Stone, insinuating that its practitioners know only the simplest of magics. Although many hedge wizards do follow the Wellspring Way and its concepts are easy to grasp (though hard to master), there are many mages of great power who have navigated its streams to reach the highest circles of magic. In some ways, the diamond circle is easiest for followers of the Wellspring Way, since they have strong connections to the great spirits of Arth, and the greatest respect for the powers they can unleash. Fundamentally, followers of the Wellspring Way believe the mage exists to serve the world, although their interpretations of what service the world requires can vary from the altruistic to the self serving.

The Path of Service takes a more mechanistic view of magic, teaching through rote and practice. Those on the Path of Service argue that magic is a tool to be used in the service of mortal ends. The Path of Service focuses less on means, and more on ends, arguing that the true value of magic comes from the purpose for which it is used. Although this path is light on theory and deeper understanding, it is much easier to teach, and schools following this philosophy can train a serviceable mage much faster than other more intellectual schools. As a result it is no surprise that this path is popular for state-sponsored military schools, and most of the Empire’s battlemages have followed the Path of Service. It is commonly known as the Path of Iron. At heart, practitioners of the Path of Service are soldiers or servants in service to a larger mortal organization or idea.

Following the Acts of Harmony, the White Tower philosophy became the dominant magical school of the Zenith Empire, a position it has not yet completely relinquished. The White Tower claims that true goal of the mage is to fully master the power of magic. This must be done through comprehensive study, rigorous experimentation, and an unswerving desire to discover all secrets. Magic is seen not as an independent natural force or a mechanistic tool, but as the fundamental force that binds the universe together. If a mage were to master it, they would become all powerful. This, dwellers in the White Tower argue, should be the true goal of all mages. Those who refuse to strive for ultimate power are wasting their talents and are worse than the magicless morati, because they, at least., should know better. The White Tower is often called the Path of Gold, a moniker it revels in, but which only serves to remind the other schools of the violent coup of Nori no Oni and the Acts of Harmony which put the White Tower on top in the first place. This should not have come as a surprise. When it comes down to it, dwellers in the White Tower serve personal power above all things.

Heylel Traits

National traits are divided into several categories. Defining traits indicate a prominent facet of your nation that will directly affect how you portray them in the game. These are marked with a D. Defining traits are further subdivided into three categories; political (P), religious (R), and ideological (I). Players must take at least one trait from each of these categories. Since taking them is mandatory, and there is no intrinsic bonus for taking one over the other (although they will come with consequences depending on what other players take) defining traits have no points cost.

Political Defining Traits

Each continent has a hierarchy of which categories of defining traits they consider most important. For Heylel the most divisive issue is that of politics. Provincial politics are not an issue, as these are accepted as the sole domain of the various Satraps (because this is not a major issue Heylel nations define their own governments with fluff traits). Imperial politics on the other hand are a house of daggers, as the former provinces of the Zenith Empire consider what form a reborn Empire should take, or if it should be reborn at all. And how much blood they are willing to shed to be the ones who reform, or destroy it.

Zenith Traditionalist (D-P)
Traditionalists believe that in order to survive, the unity and righteousness of the Empire must be restored. For a thousand years the empire has kept the peace, during which time the continent knew peace and relative prosperity. Traditionalists seek to restore the old Dragon Throne, preferably with a true dragon heir from the Driakin lines. That this may or may not involve their own nation as the new center of imperial power (the old Meridian province was destroyed after all) is something that may cause conflict among rival traditionalists.

Zenith Imperialist (D-P)
Imperialists believe that all things have their time, and that of the old empire has passed. They now want to reconstruct a new, more powerful empire from the ashes of the old. Imperialists differ from Traditionalists in two important ways. Firstly they are not particularly concerned with finding a “true” dragon heir. Secondly, Imperialists see the destiny of this new empire lying outwards, in spreading Zenith rule over new lands. Once a Satrap gains enough power from these new conquests, the other provinces of Heylel will be forced to recognize his right to the new Dragon Throne.

Zenith Populist (D-P)
Populists believe that the destruction of the old imperial hierarchy offers a revolutionary opportunity. For too long has magic been the province of only a handpicked few. Populists seek to teach magic to the masses at large, raising up peasants and paupers. This is a very powerful idea, and one that threatens to shake the continent to its foundations.

Ideological Defining Traits

Ideology is the second most important issue to the nations of Heylel. The prominent ideologies in the Zenith Empire revolve around the nature, use, and purpose of magic. Due to the egos and ambitions of hubristic magi, serious divisions have emerged between the main magical philosophies.

Wellspring Way (D-I) Followers of the Wellspring Way believe that mages serve the powerful natural forces of magic. A nation where the Wellspring Way is the accepted magical ideology relies on real world experience and spirit mentors to pass knowledge on to new mages rather than formal education. This makes it harder for mages to progress to the higher levels, but puts them more in touch with the natural forces of the world.

Nations primarily following the Wellspring Way pay a higher cost for Iron and Gold circle mages, but generate additional Power points each month.

Path of Service (D-I) Followers of the Path of Service are trained to serve ideas and organizations larger than themselves, such as causes and nations. A nation where the Path of Service is the primary magical ideology has established numerous magical schools which teach a regimented magical doctrine.

Nations primarily following the Path of Service pay a lower cost for Iron circle mages

The White Tower (D-I) Dwellers in the White Tower believe that a true mage must seek power above all else, and dedicate themselves to that pursuit. White Tower nations will have a small number of powerful mages running their own private laboriums with apprenticeships for those they deem worthy to follow them.

Nations where the White Tower is dominant pay higher upkeep costs for all mages, but may have an additional magic character.

Religious Defining Traits

Religion forms the least most divisive issue for Heylel. The Empire had a long history of religious tolerance, although this has often been strained, particularly with the spread of Empyreanism. It is an open question whether the Satraps will continue the Emperor’s policies in this regard.

Reiwan (D-R)

The dominant religion in your nation is Reiwan the native animistic faith of Zenith. Your people worship the countless spirits of the cosmos, including those employed in the empire's magical defenses, those who safeguard travellers on the roads and those relating to harvest, irrigation and other infrastructure. With this trait, you may recruit Shrine Maiden religious characters who may practice spiritual magic, the Kagura martial art, or summon spirits such as Bahamut and Doomtrain. Reiwan can be populist or enigmatic and fits either Wellspring Way or Path of Service especially well.

1.) All aspects of the universe, from the grand orbits of celestial bodies to the minute operations of clockwork, are accountable to an immeasurable pantheon of gods and spirits. Respect, thank and assist them, so that they properly conduct their affairs and thereby promote the proper functioning of the cosmic order.

2.) The realm of the divine precedes the realm of the profane.

3.) The more gods and spirits are properly worshipped, the more right the world. Spread respect for all the gods and erect shrines across Arth.

The Arete Draconic (D-R)

The dominant religion in your nation are the devout dragon-worshippers, closely tied with the origin myth of the Imperial Family. Unless you take Imperial Dragons as well, this represents the more common, loosely, connected cults, formed around deified individuals that have proven they personify the qualities of the mythical dragons. Ascendents are great heroes and sorcerers, and often lead armies or seek to better their native lands. If you possess this trait you may recruit Ascendant religious characters.

The Arete Draconic comes with the following three tenets:

1.) Worship the divine dragons as the model for mortals to achieve enlightenment and agency

2.) The Draconic Virtues of courage, intelligence, patience, might, and charisma are worthy of emulation.

3.) Weilders of magic have a divine right to rule, and any ruler should pursue the study of magic.

General Traits

The Artificer’s Legacy (E)
The history of the Zenith Empire has seen many great artificers, but all of them pale before the legend of the 8th century genius Parasellis. As his greatest work, Parasellis crafted a matched set of wondrous fully sentient automatons called the Eves, nearly indistinguishable from living women. When he died he destroyed all his notes, and released his creations to seek their own way in the world. Over time some of these automatons have been destroyed, dismantled by those who vainly sought their secrets or worn down by battle or sadness. Others have forgotten themselves, either by degradation of their memory crystals or by design. And some have found their way into the service of the Satraps of the Empire, either as brainwashed soldiers, secret advisors, or in the form of unwitting mortals.

An Eve is a level 3 character with the durable trait, and a special trait derived from her nature; Demon (a Dero corrupted Eve who has gone berserker), Iron (a brainwashed militarized Eve), Hooded (a jaded Eve who has gone outlaw), Shadow (a cautious Eve who aids mortals in secret), Sorrowful (an Eve who defends the mortal legacy of a long dead love), Dreaming (an Eve who has forgotten her true nature) or Perfect (a sheltered but unworldly Eve in mint condition).

Eves are naturally drawn to each other, and will help those of their sisters in bondage or distress. Should Eves from opposed nations come into conflict, they will never kill each other outright, but by winning a victory in character combat by one Eve over another Eve will instead add it to your nation as an additional character as its sister converts it to your side. Each additional Eve your nation possesses grants all of your Eves the Band of Heroes (X) trait where X is your total number of Eves. A player may only take The Artificer Legacy once, but if they lose an Eve they can still chose to make their replacement character an Eve (maybe they had more in storage, or another sister showed up to help). If a nation ever collects three Eves, the Paradise Eve event begins.

Forbidden Love (E)
Mages travel to many strange places in dreams, or in the umbra. One of your mages travelled roads stranger than most, and at the end of one found an enemy - who eventually became something much more.

One of your mage characters has had an illicit affair with a Chosen. This may or may not have ended badly. If it ended badly, your character is filled with anger towards the Angel who took advantage and then betrayed them. Dedicated to revenge your character has studied the ways of the Chosen, and may now cast Divine Circle spells/prayers for Fate, so long as these are aimed at those who could reasonably be considered allies of the Chosen. If it didn’t end badly then the War in Heaven ended it for you, and your character is now filled with secret sorrow at the death of their beloved. The character gains a Divine level Thaumatech item; a protective token and a remembrance of a lost love.

Winter Palace (D)
As the possessor of the Winter Palace you are host to the last remaining edifice of the old Imperial system of conflict resolution. All your diplomatic characters gain one level. This is a unique trait. Only one nation may have the Winter Palace.

Imperial Dragons (F)
You are a member of the Arete Draconic's imperial sect, which upholds literal dragon's blood as a birthright of rulership rather than simple adherence to Draconic virtues, and the Imperial Family as the mandated rulers of the nation. You may have Ascendent characters with the Dragon-blooded traits.

Dragon's Roost (D)
Your nation contains the Dragon's Roost, the great temple to the first Ascendent Dragon. If you possess the Arete Draconic, all of your Ascendant characters gain one level. Only one nation my possess this trait.

Military Traits

The military of the Zenith Empire is scattered and in a time of rapid change. After centuries of traditional doctrines, all that once was has been thrown into question. The successor states formed from the Imperial Dominions are now experimenting with new ways of war, represented in the doctrines below. A nation can only choose two of the Army/Fleet/Flight traits.

Doctrinally Advanced (E)
Your nation has put a great deal of thought into the military future of the Empire. You may select an extra military doctrine. This doctrine is not free. This trait merely allows you to select three Army/Fleet/Flight traits rather than just two.

Army of Steel (E)
Your nation has adopted the way of steel, seeking to bolster its forces with technology from Mikaela and Rafaela. The former Zones may be weak in magic, but still they resisted the Chosen for a thousand years. They must have much to teach.

A nation with this trait can recruit all regular Zone army units. Foreign Intervention or Zenith Imperialist are prerequisites for this trait.

Fleet of Steel (E)
Your nation seeks to build a regular navy for the Empire using the technology of Mikaela and Rafaela. For too long has the Empire ignored the seas.

A nation with this trait can recruit regular Zone naval units. Army of Steel and either a conquered Zone industrial port, or a completed military exchange treaty with a Zone nation are a prerequisite for this trait.

Flight of Smoke (E)
Your nation seeks to build an air force of zeppelins and biplanes for the Empire using the technology of Mikaela and Rafaela. Since the end of the Chosen, no one has soared further or higher. The Empire will not stand in their shadow forever.

A nation with this trait can recruit regular Zone aerial units. Army of Steel and either a conquered Zone industrial center, or a completed military exchange treaty with a Zone nation are a prerequisite for this trait.

Army of Spirit (E)
Your nation has adopted the path of spirit, teaching that through rigorous training the ingrained potential of common soldiers can be unlocked, granting them the powers of supernatural martial arts.

A nation with this trait can recruit Army of Spirit units. Monastic Tradition or Zenith Populist are prerequisites for this trait.

Army of Bone (E)
Your nation follows the way of bone, raising the dead of the past to fight for the future of the living. The world of Arth has so many dead, and war is sure to make more; this is only efficiency.

A nation with this trait can use Army of Bone abilities. Ancestral Tradition or Zenith Traditionalist are prerequisites for this trait.

Flight of Wind (E)
Your nation follows the flight of the Wind, using wings to carry its warriors to war. The Chosen ruled the sky, and this the world. By taming the beasts of the air the Empire will better them.

A nation with this trait can recruit Fleet of Wind units. A Flying Creatures trait is a prerequisite for this trait.

Fleet of Waves (E)
Your nation follows the whales as they roll through the waves. Why build artificial machines to sail above the waves, when there are creatures with a lifetime of experience swimming under it.

A nation with this trait can recruit Fleet of Wind units. An Aquatic Creatures trait is a prerequisite for this trait.

Army of Gold (E)
Your nation treads the path of Gold, seeking to elevate the magical devices and practices of the Empire to untold heights. Let the Jibrilites play with their Thaumatic toys; let the Zones cough in the smoke of their oily machines. You will seek a path above them all, one paved by the golden light of an ascendant magic.

A nation with this trait can recruit Army of Gold units. Note that many Army of Gold units have additional prerequisites for construction.

The Zenith Military

Traditional Units

Note: For unit cost, the first value is production, the second is upkeep. One unit of production is equivalent to 10 units of upkeep. So a nation with 100 production can pay 1,000 points of upkeep at maximum load.

Zenith Militia Division
Although the Zenith Empire maintained no large standing army, the land itself is dangerous enough that the common folk of Heylel maintain some martial skill for self defense against monsters and bandits. Common equipment is light or medium armor enchanted with fare-thee-wells, and swords, spears, crossbows and the occasional ornately engraved musket, all enhanced with hexes.

Some of these weapons and armour have been passed down for generations going all the way back to the early days of the Empire when they were forged in vast quantities in expectation of imminent invasion by the Chosen. The oldest of these weapons have picked up many layers of enchantment over the years, and have become exceedingly potent.

The Division contains 20,000 Zenith Militia

Attack: 1

Defense: 2

Mobility: 4

Move: 1

Cost: 2/1

Traits: Close Assault, Enchanted (1)

For an Extra 1 Cost the militia can be upgraded with ancient weapons to Enchanted (2)

Zenith Dragoons Brigade
Dragons, or dragoons, are mounted Zenith Militia. Unlike normal militia they usually serve for extended periods, and often travel far and wide across the lands, maintaining order and bringing bandits and n’eer do wells to justice. They are armed in a similar manner to the militia, with the addition of light mounts. Most dragoons fight on foot, only using their mounts to move quickly from place to place, and mounted combat is not a widespread skill.

The Brigade contains 5,000 Zenith Dragoons

Attack: 2

Defense: 1

Mobility: 6

Move: 2

Cost: 2/2

Traits: Close Assault, Light Cavalry, Enchanted (1)

For an Extra 1 Cost the dragoons can be upgraded with ancient weapons to Enchanted (2)

Light Cannon Regiment
These cannon are a collection of antiques acquired over the years and pressed into service to support the militia. Some are breechloaders, others even more obsolete muzzle loaders. Their utility is enhanced with a range of magical shot, but this can’t hide the dire need for replacement.

The Regiment contains 50 Light Cannon pulled by pack animals

Attack: 2

Defense: 2

Mobility: 3

Move: 1

Cost: 2/1

Heavy Cannon Regiment
Just as antiquated as their lighter brothers, these are heavy seige cannon. They are relatively rare in the army but are sometimes seen aboard converted warships.

The Regiment contains 25 Heavy Cannon moved by teams to stationary sites.

Attack: 4

Defense: 2

Mobility: 1

Move: 1

Cost: 3/2

Zenith Knights Company
For more than a thousand years the Zenith Knights were the Empire’s first line of defense. They are without doubt the most deadly mortal warriors in the world - trained all their lives to fight not other men, but gods. Their specific form varied in each of the Empire’s semi-autonomous Dominions, but always they were an elite corps of knights, bound by strict codes.

The Zenith Knights wear lovingly crafted armour with layer upon layer of enchantment, along with the best arms that magical craft could provide. Weapons range from massive diaklave blades to great lances and powerbows. To use these weapons the knights are all trained mages, and battlemages of the iron circle at that. If a prospective candidate cannot rise above the stone circle then no matter his martial skill he will be summarily released. This rigorous ethos served to keep the knights a small and feared elite for many centuries, but not it makes it impossible to expand them into a true mass army.

The Company contains 100 Zenith Knights.

Attack: 6

Defense: 5

Mobility: 5

Move: 1

Cost: 10/10

Traits: Elite, Close Assault, Special Operations, Enchanted (3), Mage (2), Armoured (10)

Ships

Unlike land forces, naval units have no separate attack and defense ratings. Instead they use Surface firepower, Sub-surface firepower, Anti-Air and Boarding firepower displayed as X/X/X/X.

Most merchant ships do not take upkeep. You can produce as many of them as you like (after so long under the Chosen interdict Arth’s sea lanes are vastly under-capacity), and when not in use for specific tasks they enter your merchant marine. They can be spawned from the merchant marine for special tasks at any of your ports, or along established trade routes. You do not get any direct benefit from the number of merchant ships in your merchant marine, however certain traits are unlocked as your merchant marine reaches set sizes.

Small Boat
Small boats are ubiquitous vessels around all the coastlines of Arth, smacks, barges, small junks and cutters are some of the various types of these vessels. Used predominantly for fishing, all are powered by sail, and have a small capacity to carry men and cargo.

A small boat displaces under 100 tons with a crew of 5-10, and can carry 25 soldiers, 5 mounts and their riders, 1/10th a point of raw production, arms for 200 men, two pieces of light artillery or one light vehicle.

Although unarmed by default a small boat can be armed with a single light cannon. If used in this manner, and formed into flotillas of 50 ships, these flotillas get 1d of Surface Firepower. More commonly Zenith small boats will carry mages, in which case the mages half their attack rating and use it as the boat’s firepower instead. These mages can be placed on one ship, or several (with a maximum flotilla size of 50 ships), but for casualty purposes it all counts as a single flotilla.

Firepower: 0/0/0/0

Mobility: 1

Move: 3

Cost: .01 / 0

Traits: Sail, Fragile, Merchant

Large Boat
Large boats are larger sailing merchantmen used for intercontinental voyages. Due to Chosen restrictions on travel they are relatively uncommon on the seas of Arth, although there are several well known smuggling vessels sung about by bawdy sailors in the seaward quarters.

A large boat displaces up to 2000 tons with a crew of 10-20, and can carry 250 soldiers, 50 mounts and riders, 1 point of raw production, arms for 5,000 men, 200 pieces of light artillery or 100 pieces of heavy artillery, and ten light vehicles or two heavy.

These vessels are also unarmed by default, however they can be converted into sail frigates with the addition of cannon, in which case it takes 25 light cannon to arm one. If so armed a squadron of two large boats has a surface firepower of 1d. More commonly Zenith large boats will instead rely on embarked battlemages, in which case Firepower becomes half the mage’s Attack. The mages must remain within the same squadron.

Firepower: 0/0/0/0

Mobility: 2

Move: 5

Cost: .2 / 0

Traits: Sail, Merchant

Steam Boat
A steam boat has the same cargo capacity as a large boat but is somewhat larger and has been refitted to include a steam engine

Firepower: 0/0/0/0

Mobility: 3

Move: 10

Cost: .33 / 0

Traits: Merchant

River Barge
A barge is a used for riverrine commerce. It has double the capacity of a large boat, but founders in open sea unless assisted by a tug. A single tug (steam boats or light warships) can pull up to four barges.

Firepower: 0/0/0/0

Mobility: 0

Move: 5/2

Cost: .2 / 0

Traits: Merchant

Steamer
Steamers are the standard across Arth for seaboarne commerce. Although still few in number, they are being produced on all four continents in a variety of styles, but all with similar capabilities. The most common of this growing class are the “Liberty” ships of the Zones.

A steamer displaces around 10,000 tons with a crew of 25-50, and can carry 500 soldiers, 100 mounts and riders, five points of raw production, arms for 20,000 men, 1,000 pieces of light artillery or 500 pieces of heavy artillery, and 250 light vehicles or 50 heavy ones.

Steamers can be converted to troop ships in which case they lose their ability to carry other cargo and double the number of soldiers and mounts they can carry. Alternately they can be built as bulk haulers, in which case they lose their accommodations and double the dry cargo they can carry.

Like other ships, Steamers can be armed with weapons, such as a circle of mages or a regiment of artillery.

Firepower: 0/0/0/0

Mobility: 3

Move: 10

Cost: 1 / 0

Traits: Merchant

Zenith Hilux Liner
Although the Zenith Empire was not allowed warships under the terms of the Sunset Treaties, they were not forbidden to sail within their own territorial waters. The Empire has many beautiful coastlines with numerous glistening bays and coral reefs. So the elite of the empire could tour these in style the Empire built a large number of luxuriant liners. By 1215PC these liners had become massive floating cities, built in a dizzying array of architectural styles, from sleek mega-cutters, to floating pagoda castles.

But beneath all the gilt and glitter every single Hilux Liner was spell-wrought for battle. Powerful enchantments were worked into their frames, and at a moments notice ballroom floors could be converted into isolator circles, while polite serving golems could suddenly combine and transform into lethal guymelefs.

Most of the Empire’s secret war fleet was lost with the destruction of the Imperial capital, now entombed under the frozen Jade Bay, however scattered vessels have survived in the hands of the successor states. All these remaining vessels have now been activated for full war service

An inactive Hilux Liner is just an extremely opulent but otherwise harmless pleasure ship displacing 100,000 tons or more with a civilian crew of 2,500. An active Hilux Liner has a full combat crew of 5,000 with 100 iron circle mages and five silver circle mages, with admiral’s quarters for a gold circle archmage

Firepower: 15/10/5/30

Mobility: 1

Move: 5

Cost: 100 / 50

Traits: Mage(3), Enchanted (3), Lumbering